in a threatening
tone, told me I was suspected; that our master had lost a pocketbook,
describing what I had found, and that I being the only man absent from
the garden at the hour of work, the rest of the men also denying that
they had seen any such thing, there was every reason to conclude that
I must have got it.

"Before I could answer, my distressed countenance confirmed the
suspicion; and another servant coming up, said I was detected, for
that a person had been sent to my house, and that my wife and family
had owned it all, and had described the pocketbook. I told them the
real fact, but it seemed to every one unlikely to be true; every
circumstance was against me, and--my heart trembles to look back upon
it--I was arrested, and hurried away to prison. I protested my
innocence, but I did not wonder that I gained no credit.

"Great grief now oppressed my heart; my poor wife, my dear children,
and my grey-headed parents, were all at once plunged into want and
misery, instead of the ease and happiness which we were expecting; for
we were just arriving at the height of our earthly wishes. I had,
however, one consolation left--that I knew _I was innocent_; and I
trusted that by persevering in honesty, all might come right at last.
My resolution was, as I had certainly been the cause, though without
any design, of the second loss of the property, that I would offer the
whole of our little store, to make it good as far as in my power; and
I sent for my wife to give her this sad commission, but she informed
me that even this sacrifice could be of no avail; 'for,' said she,
'my master has been at the cottage, when I told him freely how you had
found the note, but, unfortunately, had lost it again; and I added,
that I was sure both I and my husband would make the best return in
our power; after which I produced our little fairing-box, and begged
him to accept the contents, which had been so long raising, as all we
had to offer.' But, sir," said the waterman, "conceive my agony, when
she added, that my master angrily refused, saying, that our being in
possession of all that money was of itself the clearest proof of my
guilt; for it was impossible, with my large family, and no greater
opportunities than my neighbors, that I could come honestly by such a
sum; therefore he was determined to keep me in jail till I should pay
the whole.

"My unhappiness was very great; however, my mind by degrees began to be
more easy, for I